Duncan Barkes

Pompey fans, some will be angry, some will be climbing on the bandwagon of calling for heads to roll, wanting to let blood.

That's not going to get us anywhere.

There are still lots of points to be played for.

But there's a mystery that I'm looking forward to a man of the ability of John Massino to try to solve for us what happened there this afternoon.

A 3pm kick-off.

I was beginning to drift towards the view that maybe 12.30 kick-offs and 8 o'clock kick-offs and Friday kick-offs and Monday kick-offs.

They were beginning to throw us a little bit.

And of course it's the same for everyone.

Or is it?

Are we getting more 12.30s, Fridays, Mondays, kick-offs than most in the championship?

And if so, is that playing any part in us being where we are?

Along with the injury crisis, of course, which is the other major culprit, definite major culprit.

But we put out a pretty good side today.

OK, Colby didn't start.

And when he came on, he didn't make a great deal of difference.

Swift had a checkered game, I think is the phrase that they would use.

There were times when he just looked a little bit, not disinterested, just that his commitment in some of the second balls and 50-50s was measured, put it like that.

Ali, poor Ali, occasionally does get past his man nowadays, and that's good.

You can't expect to get past your man every time.

But he took him on, as John Massino during the week said he wants Ali to take his man on.